 |
Sunil Gangopadhyay
author
Saraswati is my favourite. Firstly, and predictably, she is the goddess of knowledge and I am a seeker of knowledge. Also, she is the most beautiful of them all. Her beauty is unsurpassed. Incidentally, I planted the first kiss of my life on an idol of Saraswati. She didn’t complain (laughs).
 |
Shaun Kenworthy
chef
My choice is Durga’s other avatar Kali. My wife is an artist and she is fascinated with Kali and paints the goddess in all kinds of modern ways. I too have a liking for Kali’s depiction in this artistic way. What interests me most about Kali is her character which is that of a strong and bold woman. I’m not that interested in the religious aspect but the artistic depiction of the goddess fascinates me.
 |
Paoli Dam
actress
All three ladies in Durga’s family are special. But if I have to choose any one of them, I would choose Durga. She symbolises power and she is the head of the family. At the same time I am overwhelmed by her beauty and feminine lure. But Lakshmi would be a close second. After all, she is the goddess of money!
 |
Agnimitra Paul
fashion designer
My favourite deity would definitely be Ganesh. Not only does he bring prosperity and success but also has a close connection with my life. When I was pregnant I’d once dreamt of a child with an elephant’s trunk. I got very upset at that time thinking that my child would have a deformity. But my husband was very positive and said that it was an indication that we’d be blessed with a baby boy. So, when my son was born we named him Vighnesh and Lord Ganesh became a part of my family.
 |
Sankar
author
My pick is Mahishasur. We wouldn’t have had Durga if not for him. It was to slay him that Durga was brought to life. You know, Mahishasur was actually romantically inclined towards the Goddess and wanted to marry her. Before breathing his last, Mahishasur got Durga to agree to take him wherever she went. Yes, his is a very interesting character.
